Parma coach Roberto Donadoni is facing an uncertain future as they go into their midweek encounter in Turin after losing five consecutive league games and seven of eight overall.
Saturday’s 3-1 reverse at home to Sassuolo, piled further pressure on Donadoni.
This week, Parma president Tommaso Ghirardi sent his players and coaches to train away from the city.
“I have decided that it was necessary to send the team to train away from Parma,” Ghirardi said.
“We all need to be united. Defending our Serie A status must be our only aim.”
Capello angers Russian legislators
Russia’s head coach Fabio Capello incurred the wrath of Russian legislators after declining an invitation to a State Duma session on Monday that was discussing the 2018 World Cup finals.
The 68-year-old Italian was officially invited to attend the meeting in the lower house of Russia’s legislature but turned it down.
“If our team is not reaching a high level of performance then I think the deputies have the right to listen to the head coach,” said outspoken nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky.
“He (Capello) should explain what is going on but he is completely ignoring us.”
Clubs charged over crowd violence
UEFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Slovan Bra-tislava and Sparta Prague after last Thursday’s Europa League match in Slovakia was interrupted by clashes between supporters.
Swedish referee Martin Strom-bergsson was forced to suspend proceedings shortly before half-time as violent exchanges took place in the stands.
The players eventually returned to the pitch some 40 minutes later and Sparta secured a 3-0 win.
The match marked the first time that the two sides had met in competition since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993.
Gattuso staying with Crete
Gennaro Gattuso is to remain in his role as OFI Crete manager, reversing his apparent decision to resign on Sunday.
The former Milan, Rangers and Italy midfielder looked to have walked away from the job after his men lost 3-2 to Asteras Tripolis in the Superleague on Sunday.
However, in a statement on the club’s official website, he said: “After long discussions with members of the board and the fans of OFI Crete, I have now stepped back and will start from the beginning stronger and more united than ever.”
The 36-year-old’s managerial career has been a chequered one so far. He lasted 11 games with Sion, six with Palermo and has so far overseen seven matches with Crete.
Callejon close to Napoli goals record
Napoli forward Jose Callejon will join Diego Maradona in the club’s record books today if he scores at Atalanta in a Serie A match.
The Spaniard has found the back of the net in his team’s last five league games and another goal in Bergamo would see him equal Maradona’s mark of scoring in six straight league games, which he managed in the 1987-88 campaign.
Callejon, who joined Napoli from Real Madrid in 2013 and has scored 27 times in 65 appearances, has proved a lucky charm for Rafa Benitez’s side.
Napoli have yet to lose a game when Callejon scores.
Hamm joins Roma board of directors
Roma have announced that former United States women’s international Mia Hamm has joined the club’s board of directors.
The 42-year-old, who led the Americans to two World Cup titles before retiring from the game 10 years ago, is among several newcomers to the board at the Stadio Olimpico.
Boston Bruins president Cam Neely has also been nominated to the new board, which is composed of 13 members that will each serve three-year terms.
The new appointments could potentially increase Roma’s exposure in North America.
Hamm is arguably the world’s most famous female football player while Canadian-born Neely was a long-time star in the NHL.
Redknapp salutes special Sandro
Brazil international Sandro was picked out for special praise by manager Harry Redknapp after Queens Park Rangers leap-frogged Burnley at the foot of the English Premier League table on Monday.
The former Tottenham midfielder, who also worked with Redknapp at White Hart Lane for a spell, has struggled to gain full fitness since moving from north to west London on Sept. 1.
“That’s the first 90 minutes Sandro has played. That performance is what I expect of him,” the Rangers boss told reporters after Charlie Austin’s double secured a 2-0 home win over Aston Villa.
“That’s why I signed him. You can see the difference he makes and Karl Henry alongside him was fantastic.”